Asbestos was used extensively in the UK construction industry throughout much of the 20th century, in a wide variety of applications. It has fireproofing and insulating properties and is a versatile and cheap material.
Once it became clear, however, that inhaling asbestos fibres can cause serious diseases such as cancer, the material was banned. Many old buildings can often still have asbestos, and if it is disturbed, the fibres can be released into the air.
Airborne asbestos exposure is very dangerous and the particles can remain airborne for two to three days. Let's take a closer look at the best way of dealing with potential airborne asbestos in your home.
If there is suspected asbestos in your property and especially if there is suspected disturbed asbestos that could have released fibres, it is important to get in touch with professional asbestos contractors as soon as possible.
Do not attempt to clean up the asbestos yourself. Asbestos exposure is dangerous and a professional company will have the knowledge, experience, and protective equipment to deal with the situation safely.
At Asbestos SOS, we can help identify, test, remove, and clean up asbestos, ensuring that the property is safe once again.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is composed of small fibres. These fibres are themselves made up of microscopic fibrils, which can't be seen by the naked eye.
Asbestos became a popular construction material in the 1800s up until its full ban in 1999. It was especially commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s, in both residential and commercial properties.
Asbestos became so popular because of its unique attributes:
Uncover more: What Does Asbestos Look Like
Asbestos fibres and microscopic fibrils can easily be inhaled or ingested, especially by construction workers who are working with the material. Once these fibres are in the body, they can't be expelled.
After decades, they can cause a variety of serious and fatal diseases, including:
There are still approximately 5,000 deaths a year in the UK from asbestos-related illnesses. Many of these are construction workers who are more often exposed to asbestos. The global annual death toll is estimated at 255,000.
Even if you don't work directly with asbestos, you can still be exposed. There are many stories of people coming home from work with asbestos fibres on their clothes which are then inhaled by family members. As soon as the fibres are in the air, they become dangerous.
There are six different types of asbestos, and they are all dangerous. Although some forms of asbestos were banned earlier than others, they all have the potential to cause asbestos-related diseases.
Any amount of asbestos exposure is dangerous and can cause asbestos diseases. There is no safe limit on the ingestion or inhalation of asbestos fibres.
The effects of asbestos exposure are cumulative, however. People who are more often exposed to it are most likely to get ill.
In many cases, if asbestos is part of the construction of a property and is left alone, it is generally safe. The main danger comes when you disturb asbestos. This could be through renovation, including sanding, knocking down walls, cutting into asbestos-containing materials, and other similar activities.
In other cases, asbestos can be disturbed through fire or other natural forces that somehow damage the asbestos-containing materials.
The disturbed asbestos will release asbestos dust which contains tiny asbestos fibres. These fibres stay in the air for 48-72 hours before they settle on a surface. You will not be able to see whether the fibres are still in the air or not with the naked eye.
Even once the fibres have settled, the area is extremely unsafe. The fibres at this point are loose so even the slightest breeze will lift them back up into the air where they could be inhaled.
If you are doing work in an older property and you suspect that you have disturbed asbestos, you will need to leave the area as quickly as possible.
If this is a working environment, you will need to:
If you are doing DIY work and think that you may have disturbed asbestos, it is a very good idea to leave the property entirely if you can.
In all cases, you should contact a specialist asbestos company. They will conduct thorough asbestos testing to see if the material you have disturbed does contain asbestos.
Asbestos air testing and asbestos air monitoring can detect asbestos fibres while they are still in the air. This can help to determine whether or not there are asbestos fibres present in the property.
Testing of the suspected asbestos-containing material will show whether it contains asbestos or not. If it does, further asbestos testing in other areas of the property is advised.
Asbestos should only be removed by qualified asbestos abatement workers. They will be trained in how to remove asbestos-containing materials safely while using all of the necessary health and safety precautions to protect themselves. You should never try to remove asbestos-containing materials yourself.
Learn more: Asbestos Removal Cost
Cleaning asbestos dust should also only be completed by trained professionals because of the risk to human health. You should never attempt to dust or vacuum any suspected asbestos dust or fibres as this will cause them to be lifted back into the air.
Asbestos should be cleaned using wet methods or with specialist vacuuming equipment.
The dangers that asbestos fibres pose cannot be overstated. The health risks, including lung disease and cancer, are well known and cost thousands of people their lives every year. You should never attempt to remove or clean up asbestos without the proper training and equipment.
If you suspect that you are dealing with asbestos, we can help. Our team of highly trained and experienced asbestos contractors will test and monitor asbestos in the property. If asbestos fibres are found in the air or within building materials, we will develop a safe plan to remove them from the property safely.
Asbestos can stay in the air for 48-72 hours. Once it settles, however, even the slightest breeze can disturb the fibres again. If you suspect that you have disturbed asbestos and have asbestos fibres in the air of the property, you should leave the area and contact a specialist asbestos removal and testing company.
